Computer games and other types of simulations typically include a virtual universe that users interact with in order to achieve one or more goals, such as shooting all of the “bad” guys or playing a hole of golf. A virtual universe is the paradigm with which the user interacts when playing a computer game and can include representations of virtual environments, equipment, objects, characters, and associated state information. For instance, a virtual universe can include a virtual golf course, golf clubs and golf balls. Users interact with a virtual universe through a user interface that can accept input from a game controller (e.g., a joy stick, a mouse, verbal commands). A click of a mouse button, for example, might cause a virtual golf club to swing and strike a virtual golf ball in the virtual golf course.
Typical computer game genres include role-playing, first person shooter, third person shooter, sports, racing, fighting, action, strategy, and simulation. A computer game can incorporate a combination of two or more genres. Examples of popular computer games include, Black & White 2 (available from EA Games), Grand Theft Auto (available from Rockstar Games), Perfect Dark Zero (available from Microsoft Game Studios), and Halo 3 (available from Microsoft Game Studios). Computer games are commonly available for different computer platforms such as workstations, personal computers, game consoles 104 (e.g., Sony PlayStation and PlayStation Portable, Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy), cellular telephones 102, and other mobile computing devices. See FIG. 1. Computer games can be single player or multi-player. Some multiplayer games allow users connected via the Internet to interact in a common or shared virtual universe.
Users interact with one or more pieces of virtual equipment in a virtual universe, such as a virtual weapon or a virtual golf club. Virtual equipment can also include avatars and other virtual representations of a user including, but not limited to, a user's movements and gestures. By way of illustration, fighting games allow a user to box, kick or punch virtual opponents in a virtual universe. The virtual equipment in these cases is the virtual representation of the user (or the user's movements or gestures) in the fight.
The virtual universe and virtual equipment can change as users achieve goals. For example, in action games as users advance to higher game levels, typically the virtual universe is changed to model the new level and users are furnished with different virtual equipment, such as more powerful weapons. Some computer games allow users to manually select their virtual equipment. For example, a user interface 106 (FIG. 1) for a computer golf game allows users to choose which type of virtual golf club they will use. Users having little skill may chose a fairway wood club 108 rather than a driver 10, which is harder to control in the virtual universe (as in real life). However, computer games do not automatically adapt a given piece of virtual equipment to accommodate how skilled a user has become at using that virtual equipment.